Today's pet peeve

[Guest guest]

If I read one more post about a doctor who prescribed a medication for a

patient with CP that was contraindicated for pancreatitis it will be one more

too many!!!

Being a member of the PAI now for three and a half years, I can't tell you how

many times I've read this, or encountered if myself in the doctor's office, but

it's

a problem that could have disasterous results and I'm really sick and tired of

us always having to be our own advocates. But we do.

Personally, I feel it's the doctor's responsibility to insure that the

medication he

or she prescribes their patient is one that won't harm them, or be

contraindicative with any other medication that patient may be taking. We're

asked to list each and all medications we take on a doctor's registration form,

as well as list each and all medical problems, diseases or conditions we

have. It urks me that doctor's apparently don't even READ these registrations,

nor do they look up the chemical background and side effects of the medicine

they prescribe to make sure that there aren't any conflicts.

For a new patient who is unfamiliar with chronic pancreatitis and unaware of

the many potentially dangerous conflicting medications on the market,

accountability should be the medical professional's responsibility, but it

doesn't appear to be. Fortunately, my GI does check the medications before

he even prescribes them for me, but his P.A. doesn't, and I had to turn down

two medications just last week that she was ready to write for me...UNTIL I

asked her to look up their side effects. I already knew they were

contraindicated, but shouldn't she have researched this herself? In that one

maneuver, my confidence rating for her went from an 8 down to a 3.

Unfortunately, it becomes the responsibility of the patient to be their own

advocate, to research and learn as much as possible about their condition,

and what's harmful or not. And as we learn, if we can share this information

with each other, everyone will benefit. It should not have to be this way, we

should be able to walk into our doctor's office with complete trust and

confidence in their directives and their treatment, yet more and more I'm

finding that we have to be our own watchdogs.

Once again, I'm reminded of how appreciative I am of Karyn 's initiative

so many years ago to create this association and build this website, so that

we can share our experiences and our knowledge to help each other. By

doing so, she's kept the doors open for sharing friendship and knowledge in a

most positive environment. Thank you, Karyn!

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SC & SE Regional Rep, PAI

Note: All comments or advice are based on personal experience or

opinion, and should not be substituted for consultation with a medical

professional.